Why one of N.J.'s most popular wedding venues abruptly closed

JERSEY CITY - Reports filed with the state Department of Environmental Protection shed new light on the "standard repairs" being performed at a Newport pier that forced one the state's most popular wedding venues to abruptly close.

Earlier this month Battello announced it would close its doors in September until at least next spring. One day after news of the closure was reported in the media, the restaurant was informed it would have to close that day.

On Aug. 10 - the same day The Jersey Journal reported the restaurant was closing - Newport Associates Development Company filed for an emergency authorization to "stabilize the Newport Marina Pier," according to DEP records.

All Boat owners were also notified that we had to vacate our slips by next Wednesday, when the marine will close permanently. Any bets that Lefrak will use this opportunity to build additional residential units on the site?

JERSEY CITY - One of the state's most sought-after wedding venues is abruptly closing its doors until at least next spring.

Battello, located on the Newport waterfront, will serve its last customers on Sept. 15 for what is being described as "standard repairs" needed to be done on the pier where the restaurant is located.

On May 25, the restaurant that opened in 2014 was notified by its landlord -- Newport Marine Holdings LLC -- that certain parts of the pier were "not deemed secure" and the patio area and parking lot needed to be shut down, Batello's owner Cory Checket wrote in a letter to customers.

Checket wrote at that time that the restaurant did not have access to reports from Newport Marine Holding's engineers and said Battello would work with its customers to "accommodate and mitigate any inconvenience that this unfortunate situation has caused."

But on Thursday Battello said it was "verbally" notified by the Newport Marine Holdings that the restaurant should plan to cease operations as early as mid-September for "construction," according to a letter sent to customers from Batello's lawyer Michael Orozco.

A search for Newport Marine Holdings LLC generates no hits, including on the state's business records website. The Newport neighborhood was built and mostly owned by LeFrak.